Refrigerator



Aug. 31, 1937. i

A. W. `ALLEN REFRIGERATOR Filed sept. 1s, 193s Patented Aug.v 31, 1937 PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATOR Alfred W. Allen, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application September 15, 1936, Serial No. 100,937

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful irnprovements in refrigerators and more particularly to refrigerators of the electrically or mechanically operated type. v

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator of the character set forth, having novel means for producing a `cake or block of ice which will serve to cool the storage compartment of such refrigerator.

Another object of the invention is to provide a refrigerator of the character stated, which is novclly constructed and arranged to prevent the dehydration of food in the storage compartment thereof and at the same time maintain said storage compartment at a temperature sufliciently low to preserve and keep food stuffs placed therein. l

These and other objects of the invention and I the features and details of construction thereof refrigerator. is subdivided into two separate and distinct compartments 3 and 4 respectively, ina manner that vwill be described in detail hereinafter, and each of said compartments 3 and 4 is provided with a separate door or other closureV means (not shown). An expansion chamber or freezer 1, having the usual ice trays 8 removably located therein, is positioned. as shown in the upper compartment 3 and connected with the compressor and condenser (not shown)` in the superstructure 2.

In accordance with the present invention the inner lining or side walls 9 of 'the upper compartment 3 extend continuously across the interior of the refrigerator at the bottom of said compartment to form a tank or receptacle I adapted to receive va body of water, said tank or receptacle I0 being disposed immediately below the expansion chamber or freezer 1 and resting upon inwardly turned anges I I formed -by the upper endedge portions of the inner lining or side walls I2 of the lower cooling chamber 4. As shown the extended portion of the lining or side walls 9 constituting the bottom of the tank I0 is formed as indicated atl I3 to include a plurality of alternately arranged angularly disposed surfaces so that condensation, if any,

(ci. ca -10's) forming on the underside of "said tank I0 will flow to the several projecting ridges I4 thus formed and drop or fall into a plurality of rearwardly declining drains I5 suitably located thereb'elow, the condensate being conveyed or directed by said drains I5 to a common drain I6 at the rear of the refrigerator and discharged herefrom into a removable can or otherreceptacle Ila through a tube or pipe I1. A .trough or gutter 23 is formed transversely at the underside of said tank and communicates with the troughs formed by the angularly disposed surfaces I8, said trough or gutter 23 having a valve 2li in the bottom thereof'through which water maybe drained from the tank IIJ. In addition to the foregoing, formation of the several angularly disposed surfaces inthe bottom of the tank Ill provides a substantially increased radiation surface at the underside .of said tank I0 to aid in cooling the interior of the lower` compartment 4. The construction and arrangement of the tank I0 is such as to block or prevent the circulation of air between the upper freezing compartment 3 and the lower foodstorage compartment 4 of the refrigerator, thus effectively eliminating the dehydration of food products in A particular feature of the invention resides in providing the expansion chamber or freezer in the upper compartment 2 with a series of downwardly projecting spaced parallel iin-like portions I8 which extend laterally beyond the main body portion of said expansion chamber or freezer 1 and are constructed' and arranged for emersion into the body of water contained in the tank or receptacle I0 to rapidly and effectively freeze said body of water into a `solid block or cake of ice which will remain frozen under ordinary conditions of operation and use of the refrigerator and serve to coolI the food storage compartment 4 located therebelow and maintain the same at anormal or average temperature sufficiently low to preserve and keep food stuffs stored therein.

For the purpose of entirely enclosing the tank I0 against the entrance of foreign matter and also for the purpose of providing shelf-like surfaces for the'storage of food at opposite sides of the expansion chamber 1, a plate or cover I9 is provided and constructed and arranged ta overle the lateral extensions of the fins I8 and surround said chamber l extending continuously from the side surfaces of the latterto the side ment of the particular refrigerator in which cmployed, and as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing an inwardly inclining recess 20 is formed in the front wall of the tank I and provided with 5 an opening 2| therein through which water may be supplied to said tank I0, said opening 2l being preferably threaded to yreceive a screw plug or like closure element 22 and arranged to indicate the proper depth of water supplied to the tank as well as limit the maximum depth thereof.

By the present invention a novel arrangement is provided for electrically or mechanically operated refrigerators whereby cooling of the food storage compartment is effectively accomplished by means of a relatively thin block or cake of solid ice arranged horizontally within said refrigerator and extending entirely across the upper end of the storage compartmentk 4 at the bottom of the freezing compartment 3 whereby the lstorage compartment is maintained at an average temperature suiiiciently low to preserve Iand keep food stuffs therein and at the same time to block or prevent the circulation of air between the freezing and said food storage compartment for the purpose of minimizing the dehydration of food stuffs therein due to evaporation caused by operation of the refrigerating apparatus.

While aspecic structural embodiment of the present invention has been set forth for descriptive purposes, it is not intended that said invention shall be precisely limited thereto but that changes and modifications in the construction and arrangement thereof may be incorporated Within the scope of the annexed claims.

Iclaim: l. In a refrigerating cabinet, a continuous sheet metal lining for the upper portion of the interior of the cabinet including upright wall lining portions terminatingat their lower edges in a horizontally extending portion for subdividing said cabinet into upper and lower compartments and providing a water tank in the upper compartment at the bottom thereof, and an expansion element mounted in said upper compartment within said sheet metal lining Vand above saidtank, said expansion element having portions thereof depending therefrom and projectinginwardly of the tank and the body of water therein to freeze the same into a solid cake of iceY for cooling the lower compartment. I

K2. In a refrigerating cabinet, a water tank subdividing the interior of the refrigerating cabinet into upper and lower compartments and arranged to prevent the circulation of air between said compartments, an expansion element in said upper compartment above said tank, said expansion element having portions thereof de- '60 pending inwardly of the tank and immersed in the body of water therein to freeze the same into a solid cake of ice for cooling the lower compartment,y and a cover memberextending between said expansion element and the walls of V the uppercompartment to entirely enclose said a solid cake of ice for cooling the lower storage4 compartment, said tank having its bottom.

formed to provide La series of alternately arranged angularly disposed surfaces, and means disposed below said tank to receiveV drippings therefrom.

4. In a refrigerating cabinet, a water tank subdividing the interior of the refrigerating cabinet into an upper freezing and storage compartment and a lower storage compartment and arranged to prevent the circulation of air between said compartments, an expansion element in said upper freezing compartment above said tank, said expansion element having portions thereof depending inwardly of the tank and immersed in the body of water therein to freeze the same into a solid cake of ice for cooling the lower storage compartment, and a cover member extending between said expansion element and the walls of the freezing compartment to entirely enclose said tank and provide a shelf-like structure to support'food stuffs, said tank having an opening for supplying water thereto, and means for closing said opening.

5. In a refrigerating cabinet, a water tank subdividing the interior of said cabinet into upper and lower compartments and arranged to prevent the circulation of air between said compartments, said tank having its bottom formed to provide aseres of alternately arranged angularly disposed surfaces for the purpose of providing an extended cooling surface at the upper end of said lower compartment and shedding moisture formed on the underside of the tank, and an expansion element having portions thereof extending into the body of water in the tank to freeze the same into a solid cake of ice for cooling the lower compartment.

6. In a refrigerating cabinet, a water tank subdividing the interior of said cabinet into upper and lower compartments and arranged to prevent the circulation of air between said compartments, said tank having its bottom formed y to provide a series of alternately arranged anguand lower compartments and arranged to prevent the circulation of air between said compartments, Said tank having its bottom formed to provide a series of alternately arranged angularly disposed surfaces for the purpose of providing an extended cooling surface at the upper end of said lower compartment and shedding moisture formed on the under side of the tank, an

expansion element having portions thereof extending into the body of Water in the tank to freeze the same into a solid cake of ice for cool` ing the lower compartment, and a cover member extending between said expansion element and the walls of the vupper compartment to entirely enclose said tank and provide a shelf-like structure to support foodstuffs thereabove, said tank having an opening for supplying water thereto arranged to indicate proper depth of the water supplied to said tank and limit the maxi- ,mum depth thereof, andmeans for closing said opening.

ALFRED W. ALLEN. 

